Microbial Diversity of Cold dessert of Lahual and Spiti, India

The cold deserts of India are located in the North Western Himalayas and stretch from Ladakh to Kinnaur (HP). Lahual Spiti has unique climatic conditions and geographical features and isgeologically positioned in the Himalayas and the Tibetan Plateau. Spiti region gets meagrerainfall (6.7 inches annually), hence called a cold mountain desert.The climate in both Lahaul and Spiti is marked by sharp temperature fluctuations, high-speedwinds, a high-altitude atmosphere, and low humidity. These climatic factors collectively impact soil quality and, in turn, the microbiome. In the last two decades, the temperature in this district increased by 2 degree Celsius, leading to glaciers melting and warmer temperatures. Microbiome analysis of this habitat will tell us the biotechnological potential of microbiota.